What if?
by silver-roses12
Summary: Some "what if?" scenarios that I was inspired to do.
1. Bandersnatch

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Alice in Wonderland" or any of the characters (Unless you spot any that you don't recognize. Those are my OC's). **

**I was inspired by iPodHeadPhones "What if?" short story, which was written for Alice 2009. Go check it out. They're quite good! After seeing the movie, twice, I wanted to write my own scenarios. That and I got a little bit of writers block concerning my bigger project. I hope you enjoy! Oh, the quotes won't be exactly right as I'm writing off of memory.**

Alice groaned in frustration when she realized that the vorpal sword case was locked. She tugged on the lock a few times in desperation before giving up. The Bandersnatch growled at her a little before lying down. It was grateful to have its eye back, but felt that his repayment was being made by not killing her.

Alice's arm had been going numb. The numbness had been spreading from her wound slowly and now almost her entire forearm was asleep. She took off the red cloth that she had been using for a bandage and gazed in horror at the disgusting, infected scratches. He vision started to swim a little as she replaced the cloth on her arm. She recalled the words of the Cheshire cat and the white rabbit warning her about the Bandersnatch wound. She had been foolish not to listen to them. The last thing she saw before succumbing in to darkness was the sleeping Bandersnatch.

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The sun light spilled through the barred window of the Bandersnatch's house. It took Alice a long time to wake up. Groggily she lifted a hand to her eyes, which were aching dully, and saw the Bandersnatch waiting in front of her. Around his neck was the key to the vorpal sword case. Cautiously Alice reached for the key, which the beast allowed her to claim. Hurriedly she unlocked the case and pulled out the magnificent sword. It probably wasn't as heavy as it felt in Alice's right hand so she switched it over to her good arm. Her arm was now almost entirely asleep. This frightened her immensely. However she now had what she came out for and she felt a rush of gratitude for the Bandersnatch.

"I suppose this makes us even now." She stated and the beast huffed in agreement.

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Finally Alice found the room where Hatter and the dormouse were. It was very easy to get lost in that enormous castle. The Hatter was still chained to the desk. It was awful to see him like that. Someone like the Hatter should never be bound down by chains.

"Lost my muchness have I?" She asked as she raised the sword to free Hatter. It took a lot of effort to raise it and Alice suddenly feared that she wouldn't have enough strength left to break the chain.

"No!" Hatter cried. "It must only be used to-" He was cut off as the knave of hearts burst in to the room. The trio whirled around to face their attackers.

"Arrest her for unlawful seduction!" The knave shouted to the red soldiers. The soldiers advanced on Alice who was holding the vorpal sword, as best as she could, to defend herself. Hatter and the knave started to fight and the dormouse freed Hatter.

"Run Alice!" The words had tumbled out of the dormouse's mouth before she could stop it. Everyone in the room froze and turned to look at Alice.

"RUN!" Hatter urged and Alice fled the room with soldiers hot on her heels. Alice could feel fatigue tugging at her brain, but she pushed it aside. Now was not the time for this. In the court yard she was surrounded by red soldiers. There was no way out. The knave strode in to the circle. His pride of such a glorious capture was oozing out of every pour in his body. Just as Alice thought that there was absolutely no hope for her she heard the crunching of wood as the Bandersnatch broke out of his home. He ran up to the girl and seizing her chance, Alice got on his back and they rode to freedom.

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The ride to the White Kingdom had been long and enervating. It took all of Alice's strength to hold the heavy sword and stay on the Bandersnatch. Finally they arrived. Alice climbed off the enormous beast feeling very light headed. Her legs felt like rubber and her entire body had an almost weightless feeling.

Still, she urged herself forward. She knew what was at stake here. She would get her wound healed after she gave the sword to the White Queen. She entered the great hall where the Queen was waiting for her. Wordlessly Alice handed the vorpal sword over to the elated Queen. She took it graciously and placed it on the now completed armour.

"The Armour is complete." The queen said in an overjoyed voice. Turning to face Alice she added "We have our champion."

Alice certainly hoped that the queen wasn't implying what she thought she was. She staggered a little as her pounding headache and numb body became too much.

"I don't feel very well..." She said faintly as her eye lids fluttered and she fainted.

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Everything was black. It was the most curious feeling, almost as if Alice's mind had been disconnected from her body.

Faintly she could hear voices, but it was like listening through a wall. She concentrated to make sense of the words.

"_What happened to her?" _Alice immediately recognized Hatters voice. Although she thought that the distress in it was not very becoming. His voice was so much more pleasant when it was coloured with joy.

"_The Bandersnatch scratched her arm and she left it for too long. Our medics have done all they can, but the poison has spread too far. I'm very sorry, Tarrant. She won't last through the night." _The Queens voice was drenched in sorrow. Misery accompanied Alice in the dark.

'_**Why didn't I listen to Cheshire cat and the rabbit? Now I'm going to die and I only have myself to blame!'**_Alice thought. Just then she heard Hatters angry Scottish accent and she knew that if she could see him know his eyes would be glowing amber.

'_You're just going to let her die? What kind of a Queen are you? Nothing is impossible! Get that bloody Bandersnatch in here right now and order him to clean the wound!'_

'_He already has, Hatter. There is nothing that can be done. I'm sorry.' _It amazed Alice that the Queen could speak so calmly while someone as frightening as the mad hatter screamed at her.

'_No!' _The sound of glass shattering shocked Alice a little, she had never heard the Hatter this angry before. _'There has to be something!'_

For a moment all was silent. Then the Queen spoke.

'_I'm sorry. I know what she means to you. No one knows for sure, but some say that people who are unconscious can still hear everything.' _Another uncomfortable pause passed then Alice heard the sound of footsteps growing fainter and fainter.

'_I'm so sorry Alice.' _Hatter's quiet voice gave her some comfort even though she was terrified. _'If you can hear me, I'm sure you're getting tired of hearing how sorry I am for you, and the Queen is for me. So, let us talk about something else. When I was walking to the White Kingdom I glanced at my pocket watch. It was more out of habit then to know the time, and I saw that the clock work was ticking properly! Time has forgiven me after all of these years!' _

Hatter rambled on about whatever crossed his mind. Alice felt strangely relieved to be spending her last moments with him. She contemplated, while Hatter rambled, about what this meant. She hardly knew him, but for some reason he made her feel safe, protected, and... loved? Did she love him?

"_**Yes." **_Her mind answered. It felt so right lying there listening to his lovely voice. It made her approaching death seem insignificant. Nothing bothered her, not even the fact that Hatters voice was becoming harder and harder to hear. The darkness pressed all around her, but not in a painful way. More like getting smothered by a blanket. For a moment Hatter stopped talking and the silence became deafening. Alice longed for him to speak again and was relieved when he did.

'_You know, Alice. For a long time I had been contemplating things that started with the letter "M". But lately I have been feeling things that start with the letter "L". _He paused for a moment. _'Alice,'_ He said shakily, _'I love you.' _

Alice felt a warm glow. She cursed her immobility. What she would give for one kiss. One kiss before she died. She could barely hear it but she thought she heard Hatter give a strangled sob. She wanted to comfort him and tell him not to cry. Everything started to fade away and Alice heard Hatters last words to her called out as quiet as a whisper.

'_Fairfarren, Alice.' _


	2. Stayne

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Alice in Wonderland"**

The Red Queen paced in her thrown room waiting for Stayne to arrive. She had sent all of her entourage out to fetch him. Her face was a brilliant red and her footsteps echoed loudly in the silent hall.

Not five minutes ago she was trying on hats and gazing at her stunning reflection. Then all of a sudden one of the ladies in her court, the one with the big ears, whispered to her about Stayne trying to seduce Um in the hallway. Rage over took her and she sent everyone out to find him.

'_How dare he do this to me! After everything I've done for him!' _Iracebeth thought. _'I thought he loved me! That cheating cad! He is going to pay dearly for this!'_

She heard the familiar squeak of the doors to the hall being opened. She glanced behind her to find Stayne walking solemnly towards her. She took this time to sit in her throne and start to calm herself down.

'_He can't know that I care. He will play my vulnerability if he knew that. Cold as ice. That's the way to play it, racy. Cold as ice.'_

Iracebeth felt the heat in her face start to drain and her heart rate return to normal. Finally Stayne reached the throne and sunk in to a deep bow.

"Your majesty," he began. Iracebeth gave him a cold hard stare which made him recoil slightly. Stayne's words became lost in his throat under that harsh glare. Iracebeth took his silence as a time to pounce.

"So Stayne. You thought you could play a game with my heart, did you? Thought you could use me to get promoted time and time again?" The unfamiliar sting of tears behind her eyes made her angrier. How dare he make her feel like this!

"N-no, majesty." Stayne stuttered to the floor. He didn't dare to meet her gaze because then she would see the lie in his eyes. "My heart belongs to you. That girl is completely obsessed with me!" He said desperately.

Iracebeth stared at the pitiful man that kneeled before her and couldn't help but think of her first husband, Rafin. He had also been weak. When she learned that he might leave her she decided to save her reputation. After all, if he left people would start to realize that she was a person with emotions and use that against her. It was only a matter of time before Stayne and Um ran off together, and that simply would not do. That's just as bad as if the king had run away with that pretty little thing so many years ago.

Suddenly Iracebeth recalled Stayne's words from last night.

"_Is it not better to be feared then loved?"_

He had been right. Fear got you places that love could not. And love would always come back to bite you. She spared one last glance at him.

'_I have an image to keep up! The people cannot think of me as weak!'_

"Off with his head!" She screamed at the gards.


End file.
